


Late Nights And Early Mornings

by RedShirtWriter34567



Category: Broadchurch, Masters of Sex
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Husbands, Late at Night, M/M, Sleepiness, Sleepy Cuddles, Sleepy Kisses, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:13:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25522648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedShirtWriter34567/pseuds/RedShirtWriter34567
Summary: Just three chapters of the Illogical Husbands coming home from work late at night.
Relationships: Alec Hardy/William Masters
Comments: 22
Kudos: 53





	1. Late Night Stake Out

Bill received a text from Alec while he was still at the hospital. He pulled his phone from his coat pocket and examined the screen.

‘Miller and I are staking out a suspect tonight. Not sure what time I’ll be home, but it’ll probably be late.’

Bill could sense Alec’s guilt even through the phone. It had been a long time since Alec had staked out anybody, but he figured it was bound to happen eventually. Bill texted his husband back, hoping to ease his guilt.

‘It’s no problem, love. It’s part of your job. Just be safe, okay? I love you.’

Alec texted back quickly.

‘I love you too. I’ll try not to wake you up when I come home.’

‘I could wait up for you,’ Bill offered. 

‘No, don’t,’ Alec responded. ‘And don’t wait in the dark with all the lights off either.’

Bill laughed as he messaged his husband again. 

‘Alright fine. Good luck tonight.’

‘Thanks,’ Alec replied. ‘But I’ll need coffee more than luck.’

Bill laughed again as he put his phone away and left the lounge to resume the rest of his shift. It was entirely uneventful, save for the paramedics bringing a drunk man bleeding and claiming his cats had tried to kill him. Bill texted Alec a few times throughout, but eventually his husband said that he had to turn his phone on silent before the stake out began.

‘I’ll still check it though,’ Alec promised. ‘It'll just take me awhile to respond since me and Miller will take turns keeping watch.’

‘Just be careful, Alec,’ Bill responded. 

‘I always am, aren’t I?’

Bill smiled fondly and shook his head. He continued his shift until it ended at ten o’clock. He gathered his things from his locker and drove home. He parked in the spot of the driveway usually occupied by Alec’s car. Bill exited his and entered the house, placing his keys and his bag by the front door. The house seemed quiet and empty without Alec. Bill was so used to having him there that it was hard to ignore his absence.

‘Hopefully he’s not out too late,’ Bill thought, heading to the kitchen and pouring himself a glass of wine.

He sat down on the couch and turned on the TV to break the eerie silence in the house. He took his phone out of his pocket and checked it for messages. Alec had gone silent. He was probably on watch. Bill wondered who they were staking out in the first place. 

“Stay safe, Alec,” he whispered.

Bill stayed downstairs a little longer, drinking two glasses of wine and watching a trivia show. Eventually he called it a night around eleven and went upstairs to get ready for bed. As he was changing, his phone chimed on the nightstand. It was Alec.

‘Hey,’ the message read. ‘You still awake?’

‘Getting ready to go to bed,’ Bill responded. ‘How’s it going?’

‘Boring,’ Alec replied. ‘It’s like watching dead fish in an aquarium.’

Bill chuckled. ‘How’s Ellie?’

‘She’s fine,’ Alec responded. ‘She has more experience with this than I do, believe it or not.’

‘Hang in there, love,’ Bill messaged. ‘I’m going to bed. I love you.’

‘Good night, Bill,’ Alec replied. ‘I love you too.’

Bill smiled and laid down, switching off the light and placing his phone on the nightstand again. He laid on his back and placed an arm under his head, staring at Alec’s side of the bed. Bill stretched his hand out, stroking his husband’s pillow. He’d never spent a night without Alec before. He felt like a child missing their favorite stuffed animal. He was so used to Alec’s warmth curled up beside him that the bed felt almost unnaturally cold.

‘How am I supposed to sleep like this?’ Bill thought. 

He looked around and spotted something out of the corner of his eye. One of Alec’s sweaters was hanging off the edge of the hamper. Bill left the bed and picked it up. It hadn’t been washed yet and still smelled like Alec. Bill smiled and returned to the bed, folding the sweater and placing it on his pillow before laying down again, nuzzling his face against the soft fabric.

“Good night, Alec,” Bill whispered, closing his eyes.

Bill was woken from his deep sleep when he felt the bed dip. Blinking blearily, he squinted at the clock. The luminous numbers flashed four in the morning. Bill rubbed his eyes and rolled over onto his back. Alec had just flopped down onto the bed, still fully dressed in his shirt, slacks, and tie, his cheek pressed into the pillow.

“Alec?” Bill whispered, touching his husband’s face.

The Scot’s eyes opened, brown and tired. He offered Bill a drowsy smile.

“Hey,” he said. 

“Hi,” Bill replied. “How’d it go?”

Alec sighed and rubbed his temples. “It was a dead end. Means I lost sleep for nothing.” He yawned. “I’m sorry if I woke you.”

“It’s okay,” Bill said. “I’m just glad you’re home.” He rubbed a hand down Alec’s clothed back. “You should change. You’ll be more comfortable that way.”

Alec whined but complied. He sat up and removed his tie and his shirt, then undid his slacks and slid them off his legs. He crawled under the covers in nothing but his boxers and cuddled against Bill’s chest. The doctor smiled and stroked his husband’s soft hair. Alec fell asleep quickly, and Bill followed suit, more at ease now that his husband was home in his arms. 

The next morning, Bill got up early to the sound of his phone alarm. He quickly shut it off so as to not wake Alec, but his husband was still sound asleep, drooling a little onto his pillow. Bill smiled and kissed his forehead, stroking his messy hair. Alec’s face scrunched up but he didn’t wake. Bill left the room quietly and went downstairs, preparing himself some coffee and going over some paperwork. Alec slept in for a long time and didn’t stir until half-past noon. 

“Good morning,” Bill greeted as Alec stumbled sleepily into the study.

“Yeah,” Alec responded. 

He crossed the room and sat down in the chair beside Bill’s, placing his head on the armrest. Bill smiled and ruffled Alec’s hair fondly.

“Still tired, eh?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Alec replied, closing his eyes. “I sleep better next to you.”

“I don’t have to leave for awhile,” Bill said. “Stay as long as you want.”

Alec nodded and nestled closer, stretching out across the chair and placing his head in Bill’s lap, falling asleep again. Bill shook his head with a smile and stroked his husband’s hair while he continued his paperwork.


	2. 24 Hours Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill comes home in the morning after working a twenty-four hour shift at the hospital.

Alec was downstairs in the kitchen, sipping his tea while he read the newspaper. It was early, about eight in the morning, but he didn’t have to be at work till eleven. He was just biding time at this point. The house was quiet while outside he could hear birds chirping and wind blowing. It would have been perfect, but it was missing an important detail to Alec’s morning routine. He glanced at the chair next to him, usually occupied by Bill, who would be sipping coffee while he either went over paperwork. Alec sighed and drained his tea, just as his toast popped up out of the toaster.

Even though Bill was gone, his influence was still there. And by influence Alec meant sticky notes, usually stuck to the fridge or the kettle, reminding him to eat. The Scotsman smiled to himself as he placed the toast on a plate and covered them liberally in jam and butter. He was just sitting back down when he heard a car pull up in the driveway. A minute later the front door opened and closed, keys jingling as they were set down on the table by the door.

“Bill?” Alec called.

His husband appeared in the kitchen doorway, looking exhausted. His eyes had dark bags under them and his hair was mussed, his clothes rumpled. He offered Alec a tired grin as he sat down at the table and put his head down with a groan. Alec rubbed his back.

“You okay?” he asked.

Bill grunted. “Is that a rhetorical question?”

Alec bit back a laugh and kneaded the back of Bill’s neck. The doctor groaned as his husband’s long fingers dug into the wire-tight muscles. He tilted his head and looked at Alec.

“How come you’re not at work yet?” he asked through a yawn.

“I don’t have to be in till eleven,” Alec explained. “And I wanted to be up to greet you when you got home.”

Bill smiled and yawned again. Alec stroked his hair. 

“You should head up to bed,” he said. 

“That’s a great idea,” Bill agreed. “But I think I’ll shower first. Helps me relax if I don’t smell like the hospital.”

Alec nodded. “Alright, let’s go.”

Bill sighed and stood up from the table, leaning a little against Alec as they climbed the stairs and entered the bathroom. Alec turned on the shower while Bill undressed and tossed his clothes into the hamper. He stepped into the shower and Alec heard him moan when the hot water hit his skin, easing the tightness in his muscles. Bill stayed in there for a long time while Alec hovered outside, leaning against the sink. 

“Are you okay, love?” he asked after several silent minutes. 

Bill didn’t answer. Alec frowned and pushed the curtain aside a little, ignoring the water as it sprayed onto his clothes. Bill was dozing against the shower wall. Alec smiled fondly and turned off the water. Bill jerked awake and blinked the water from his eyes as it dripped from his hair.

“Come on, love,” Alec said. “Let’s get you dry and into bed.”

Bill grunted again and stepped out of the shower. Alec helped him slip into his white robe and tied the belt loosely for him. He couldn’t help but feel an odd but pleasant warmth in his chest. Half the time in their relationship it was Bill taking care of Alec, but this time Alec got to be the caregiver. He loved that Bill was comfortable enough around him that he allowed himself to be this vulnerable. Of course, the fact that he hadn’t had any sleep in twenty four hours and was too exhausted to fight Alec was also why he wasn’t protesting the coddling. Until Alec started drying his hair with a towel.

“Bill, quit squirming,” Alec said. 

“I’m not a child,” Bill grumbled. 

“No, but you’re cranky like one,” Alec teased, placing the towel against his husband’s head and wiping the excess water away.

Bill mumbled as Alec tossed the towel aside and led him into the bedroom. Bill removed his robe and pulled on a plain white T-shirt and boxers. Alec pulled the covers back on the bed before Bill could throw himself down onto it. The doctor sighed in relief as he fell onto the mattress, burying his head in a pillow. Alec pulled the blankets over him and smoothed them out. Bill wriggled around and rolled over onto his back.

“Stay,” he requested softly. “Till I fall asleep.”

“Of course, love,” Alec said. 

He laid down above the covers beside Bill, stroking his damp hair. The American sighed and nestled closer to his husband’s side, nuzzling his waist and throwing an arm over his lap. Alec smiled again. Bill was always more clingy when he was tired. It wasn’t long until Bill was asleep, his breathing soft and even. Alec stayed with him for a long time, stroking his hair and rubbing his back. Eventually, he got up to leave and tried to get up without waking his husband, gently rolling away and out from under Bill’s arm. But even though he was tired, Bill still was a light sleeper and he whined when he felt Alec move.

“Come back,” he said. 

“I’m sorry, but I have to leave,” Alec whispered. “I’d call in but I’m expected at a crime scene this morning.”

He kissed Bill’s forehead, then his lips lightly. The other man hummed and relaxed a little. Alec caressed his husband’s cheek. 

“Go back to sleep, Masters,” he said tenderly. “I’ll call you when I’m on lunch, okay?”

“Okay,” Bill replied, eyes slipping closed again.

Alec kissed his forehead again and pulled the covers up a little higher over Bill’s shoulders. He started to leave the room but stopped at the door. He walked over to the closet and pulled out one of his jumpers. He folded it and placed it on the bed next to Bill’s head. Instantly, his husband gripped the garment and nuzzled his face against the soft fabric. Alec smiled, knowing that even though he was gone, as long as Bill had a piece of Alec with him, he would sleep soundly.


	3. Home At Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec and Bill have both been working for the past 36 hours and are finally home together.

Alec sighed as he walked into the house and kicked the door shut behind him. His eyes ached and felt dry as sand. He’d been working at the office nonstop for the past three days, tirelessly working with Miller and the police to find a kidnapped little girl who’d disappeared while at school. She’d been found that evening, thank God. The kidnapper was a teacher at the school who’d already been accused of inappropriate behavior but never actually charged due to lack of evidence. Alec hung up his jacket and loosened his stained tie. He kicked off his shoes and collapsed onto the couch with a groan.

“Finally,” he muttered, rubbing his aching temples.

He took his phone from his pocket and checked for messages. There weren’t any from Miller, but there was one from Bill. 

‘I heard you guys found the girl.’

Alec smiled and texted him back.

‘Yeah, after three bloody days. I’m home now and so is she. The guy who took her was arrested on the scene.’

‘Congrats. I knew you and Miller would find her.’

Alec yawned and scrubbed a hand across his face, his beard rough against his fingers. He needed to shower and go to bed. 

‘I’m gonna go ahead and go to bed,’ he texted Bill. ‘Any word on when you’re coming home?’

Bill was silent for a minute before messaging back.

‘Later tonight. I’ll try not to wake you.’

Alec smiled and yawned again. He set his phone on the coffee table and removed his tie. He stood up and stretched, the joints in his back and neck cracking loudly. He groaned and sat back down on the couch, rolling his shoulders. Alec looked behind himself toward the stairs. He didn’t have the energy to drag himself up them right then. He’d been on his feet almost every day during the case, living on tea and food from the vending machines at work. 

“I’ll just rest down here for a few minutes,” Alec said to himself. 

He stretched out on his back across the couch and crossed his arm over his chest, resting his head on the armrest. His eyes closed and soon, Alec was asleep for the first time in three days. 

Bill entered the house as quietly as he could, gently shutting the door behind him. The house was dark and quiet. Alec was probably upstairs asleep already and Bill didn’t want to disturb him. He removed his jacket and his shoes, placing his work bag by the door as he undid his tie. While Alec had been working that kidnapping case, Bill had been working for the last three days at the hospital. It had been short staffed for the last few months but now they had some new residents that Bill was the attending of.

He oversaw their procedures, even something as minor as stitching someone up in the E.R. or examining a patient. They weren’t allowed to work independently until year four of their residency. Bill hoped he wouldn’t have to be the only attending supervising them. He sighed and raked a hand through his mussed hair. He was definitely ready to go to bed. He started to head upstairs but stopped short of them. He could hear soft breathing coming from the living room. 

Bill walked over and found Alec sprawled out on the couch, sound asleep. He was curled up on his side, his head of messy hair cushioned on the armrest. Bill smiled fondly and stroked his husband’s hair, then tapped his shoulder.

“Alec, wake up,” Bill coaxed. “You shouldn’t sleep down here.”

Alec whined and burrowed deeper into the couch. He cracked one blurry eye open and stared up at Bill.

“We should head up to bed,” Bill told him. “Come on and I’ll help you up the stairs.”

“Don’t make me move,” Alec mumbled. “S’nice here.” He blinked owlishly up at Bill. “But it’s cold without you. Stay down here with me.”

Bill’s heart melted at his husband’s plea. He grinned and stroked Alec’s cheek. 

“Alright,” he agreed. “Just give me a minute.”

Alec nodded and slumped back down. Bill went down the hallway and grabbed a blanket from the closet, then came back. Alec was shedding his clothes and tossing them over onto the armchair by the couch. Tired as Bill was, he still felt a warm heat in his belly at the sight of Alec’s bare, smooth back and his wiry shoulders. Alec removed his slacks, leaving him in just his boxers as he laid back down on the couch. Bill walked over to him, eyeing his lean chest and stomach covered in thick hair. 

“You gonna undress too?” Alec asked him. 

“If you insist,” Bill said with feigned annoyance.

He took off his clothes and tossed them on top of Alec’s on the chair. Alec picked up one of the throw pillows and tucked it beneath him, propping himself up slightly as he made room for Bill. The doctor settled himself on the couch and nestled against Alec’s chest as he pulled the thick blanket over them. Alec wrapped an arm around Bill and stroked his hair. Bill hummed contently.

“This is nice,” he said, petting Alec’s chest, tracing the scar from his surgery.

“Yeah, it is,” Alec agreed, softly.

He kissed the top of Bill’s head. Bill sighed and closed his eyes. 

“Goodnight, Alec,” he murmured.

“Goodnight, Bill,” Alec returned. 

The two fell asleep quickly, lulled by the sound of each other’s breathing and heartbeat.

The next day, Alec woke up to the sound of his phone buzzing. He grumbled and blinked his eyes open. Sunlight streamed into the living room, warm and golden. Alec looked down and found Bill still asleep on his chest, his cheek and one hand resting over his heart. The Scot smiled at the sight. His phone kept buzzing away on the coffee table. Carefully, Alec reached out and grabbed it, checking the screen. Miller was trying to call him. He hung up and sent her a message. 

‘What?’

‘Are you coming in today?’ she texted.

Alec cringed at the thought of returning to work after three days of hell. Three days without seeing and holding Bill like he was now. He looked down at his sleeping husband and smiled. 

‘I’m using one of my sick days,’ he texted Miller. 

‘Are you actually sick?’

‘I don’t know. Maybe you should ask my doctor.’

Alec turned his phone off before Miller could say anything else and placed it back on the table. Bill suddenly grunted and lifted his head off Alec’s chest, chin resting on his sternum as he blinked slowly.

“Good morning, love,” Alec said, stroking Bill’s cheek.

“Morning,” Bill replied, leaning into the touch. “What time is it?”

“Not sure,” Alec admitted. “Half past nine, maybe?”

Bill hummed and laid back down, snuggling against Alec. The Scot rubbed his husband’s back through the blanket. 

“You going to work?” Bill asked, sounding like he didn’t want to know the answer.

“I called in,” Alec told him. “I’m not really eager to go back after the past three days. I’m sure I’m not the only person who called in.” He petted Bill’s hair. “What about you? Don’t you have to supervise those new residents?”

Bill grunted. “Technically, no. Dr. Adams is there, but I think my boss would prefer it if I was supervising them.” He sighed. “But I don’t want to go back there. It feels like it’s been forever since we’ve had this. Each other.”

“So call in,” Alec said. “I’m sure Dr. Adams is just as qualified as you to watch the new guys. Besides, you’re right.” He lowered his voice. “We haven’t seen each other in days.”

He felt Bill smile against his skin before he raised his head. 

“It’s also been forever since we’ve done this,” he said, leaning closer. 

Alec pulled away instinctively. “I haven’t brushed my teeth. Not sure you really want to kiss me now.”

“I always want to kiss you,” Bill said. “And I haven’t in three days.” He tilted Alec chin up and kissed him soundly. 

Alec sighed into the kiss. It really had been a long time. They pulled away after several minutes and Bill touched his forehead to Alec’s, petting his fingers through the soft hair on his husband’s chest.

“I’ve missed you, Alec,” Bill whispered.

“I’ve missed you too,” Alec whispered back. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Bill replied, then yawned.

Alec smiled. “Let’s go to bed, eh? The actual bed this time.”

“It’s more comfortable here,” Bill said, laying his head back down. 

Alec grinned and kissed his husband’s head, feeling his body relax as he fell asleep again. The Scot closed his eyes and joined his husband in sleep, feeling relaxed for the first time in 36 hours.


End file.
